Editing 1840s (section)

==== Sikh Empire ====
The [[Sikh Empire]] was founded in 1799, ruled by [[Ranjit Singh]]. When Singh died in 1839, the Sikh Empire began to fall into disorder. There was a succession of short-lived rulers at the central [[Durbar (court)|Durbar]] (court), and increasing tension between the [[Khalsa]] (the Sikh Army) and the Durbar. In May 1841, the [[Dogra dynasty]] (a vassal of the Sikh Empire) invaded western Tibet,<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.learnpunjabi.org/eos/
 |title=ZORĀWAR SIṄGH (1786–1841)
 |last1=Dattar
 |first1=C. L.
 |website=Encyclopaedia of Sikhism
 |publisher=Punjabi University Patiala
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508213214/http://www.learnpunjabi.org/eos/
 |archive-date=2014-05-08
}}</ref> marking the beginning of the [[Sino-Sikh war]]. This war ended in a stalemate in September 1842, with the [[Treaty of Chushul]].

The [[British East India Company]] began to build up its military strength on the borders of the Punjab. Eventually, the increasing tension goaded the Khalsa to invade British territory, under weak and possibly treacherous leaders. The hard-fought [[First Anglo-Sikh War]] (1845–1846) ended in defeat for the Khalsa. With the [[Treaty of Lahore]],<ref name="Pocket On This Day">{{cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=978-0-14-102715-9|year=2006}}</ref> the Sikh Empire ceded [[Kashmir]] to the East India Company and surrendered the [[Koh-i-Noor]] diamond to [[Queen Victoria]].

The Sikh empire was finally dissolved at the end of the [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]] in 1849 into separate [[princely states]] and the British [[Punjab (British India)|province of Punjab]]. Eventually, a Lieutenant Governorship was formed in Lahore as a direct representative of the [[British Crown]].